I’ve been journaling in one form or another for over 10,000 days. If you had told my middle school self that, he wouldn’t have believed you. Because I hated journaling.
It seemed like a chore at best, and pointless at worst. In truth, it was—the way I did it then. My first experience with journaling was in middle school, where a teacher required us to write about our day for the first 15 minutes of class. With no guidance, no prompts, and a classroom filled with distractions, my entries were short, dull, and forced. Journaling felt like an obligation rather than a tool for self-reflection.
In high school, that changed. Inspired by Peter Beard’s scrap journals—vivid, chaotic, and deeply personal—I started weaving together photography, notes, and clippings. This was my Scrapbook Era, and for the first time, journaling felt like self-expression. But as digital photography took over and life got busier, the practice became too time-consuming. Without a sustainable system, it faded away.
That’s when I started capturing my thoughts in quick, bulleted notes. I categorized them into Tasks, Notes, and Events, creating a streamlined process that helped me not only organize my external world but also process my internal one. This method evolved into what we now know as the Bullet Journal—an adaptable system that continues to grow with me, helping me turn experience into insight and insight into action.
Journaling isn’t just about writing things down—it’s about reflecting on what you write. It’s about noticing patterns, clarifying your thoughts, and making meaningful changes. If you’ve ever struggled with journaling, I hope this video helps you find a practice that works for you.
